


Duet With Myself

by andtheny



Series: Phantom Pain [5]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Bisexual Danny Fenton, Danny Fenton and Danny Phantom as separate entities, F/M, M/M, Phantom/Paulina, Pitch Pearl, Unresolved Romantic Tension, because I'm a multi shipper and Phantom is my bicycle, minor Phantom/Sam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2020-08-11 08:29:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20150656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andtheny/pseuds/andtheny
Summary: “That’s Danny’s favorite part too!” Tucker was saying. Danny had no idea what movie they were even talking about. “Man, you guys have so much in common, it’s freaky.”And just like that the room’s temperature plummeted. Danny scrambled up to turn off the ceiling fan, chuckling nervously. “Whoa, did your mom blast the AC?”“She must have,” Tucker said. They both shivered. “Haha, weird...”Phantom was flickering. He looked apologetic.As casually as possible Danny tugged Phantom’s leg, which was hovering just below eye level, and pulled him onto Tucker’s bed. He settled against the ghost with an arm around his shoulder, ignoring the cold.Did the room warm up? He couldn’t be sure pressed up against Phantom like this.“Gaaay,” Tucker said, directing his iPad at them for a picture.





	1. Chapter 1

“You can’t keep calling him Inviso-Bill!” Paulina said. It was unbecoming for a lady to raise her voice, but she could not let this pass. 

“It sounds better than ghost boy,” Dash said. “He needs a _ hero _name.” 

“Yeah Paulina, the dude fought a _ dragon, _” Kwan said. “A dragon!” 

School had just ended and they were loitering at Kwan’s locker. He leaned against it with his arms crossed, a dumb grin on his face as if that fact settled it. And Dash leaned against Kwan with an elbow on his shoulder.

“Then give him a good one,” she said. “Gawd, he’s too handsome for a lame ass name like _ Bill. _” 

She wanted his real name. And she wanted to know how long ago he had died, how it had happened, and if he’d had a girlfriend. If so, was that girl still alive? Was she young still or an old lady? 

“What about Ecto-Man?” Kwan said. “Like cause he’s made of ectoplasm?” 

“Ew, no something _ good _ I said.” The next time she saw him, Paulina would ask the ghost boy herself. Trying to think up a name was useless.

“Hey, I don’t see you coming up with any ideas,” Dash said. “Good try, Kwan. Oh! What about Ghost Buster?”

“Nah, cause the Ghostbusters are a team,” Kwan said. “That’s like calling John Lennon ‘A Beatle’ or something. It doesn’t work.”

“Good point,” Dash said. He groaned and draped himself over Kwan. “Naming things is hard, man.” 

Paulina rolled her eyes. They could have gone on swapping name ideas for hours, but thankfully the boys spotted Fenton and Foley walking by and couldn’t resist yelling after them. “Hey Princess Peach! Where’s your crown?” Dash said. He straightened up and cracked his knuckles.

“Foley you better get yourself a plunger,” Kwan said. What a loyal sidekick, trying to follow the theme. “Uh, cause Bowser could come for him at any minute!” 

The guys laughed and high fived each other. Foley flipped them off without looking and the nerds kept walking. 

“Hey Fentina!” Dash really wanted Fenton to look at him. She could see a vein pulsing in his neck as the blood rushed to his face. Wow, it was pathetic. Fenton walked out of the building with no reaction. Dash punched a locker. “The fuck, it’s like he’s not even scared of me.” 

“I wonder why,” Paulina muttered. It’s not like Dash could actually beat anyone up. Not without risking his spot on the football team. Kwan tried to put a comforting arm over his shoulder, but Dash shrugged it off and stomped after Fenton. 

Unfortunately, Paulina could empathize with his frustration. The little nerd had been ignoring her too. Not that she ever cared about him, but their date had ended oddly. Actually, it hadn’t ended at all. It was interrupted by the ghost attack. 

It was a given that there be some kind of follow up, wasn’t it? But Fenton never texted or acknowledged her at all. And she didn’t _ care _but it was kind of insulting. Never in her life had she been ghosted like this. By someone under her league at that! She hoped Dash would punch him or something, at least once.

But she had more important concerns. Where was Manson? The goth nerd didn’t go home with the other two? Paulina had never paid much attention to them, so she didn’t know if this sort of thing was normal.

Kwan had been talking about something and Paulina had been pretending to listen, but she dropped her pretense when Manson finally walked by. 

“I’ll catch you later,” she said, trailing after the girl at a measured, but fast, pace.

“But I finally got the CD!” Kwan called after her. Some new artist that had been blowing up. It didn’t really matter, pop singers were a dime a dozen. Like fashion trends, they were gone in a blink. Normally Paulina attentively kept tabs on it all, but today she could care less. 

“I’ll listen to it later, Kwan,” Paulina called back. She was closer to Manson now and the girl flinched at her volume, looking over her shoulder to glare at her. 

It was as good an opening as any.

“Hey giiiirl,” Paulina said. Whoops, wrong crowd. The look on Manson’s face was pure disgust. Just cause Manson was a girl didn’t mean she communicated like one. 

Paulina tried to change tracks. She cleared her throat. “Sup?” 

“What do you want?” Manson said. She stopped walking and turned around.

“Fashion tips,” Paulina said. It was hard to get those words out with a straight face, but she managed it.

“_What?” _ Manson said. “Are you kidding me?” 

“I wish I was,” Paulina sighed. “C’mon just tell me how to dress up like a goth princess. Like you did for the dance.” 

Manson tutted. “Is this about Pha- the, uh, ghost boy?” She adjusted the strap on her backpack, then looked at her wrist. But there wasn’t a watch there. “Look, I don’t have time for-”

Paulina grabbed hold of her spider backpack by one of its plushy legs as Sam tried to walk away. “Oh no you don’t! I noticed that slip up, Manson. You know his name?! Tell me!” 

Manson growled. “Bite me.” She tugged her backpack out of Paulina’s grip. 

“Fine just tell me where you got the dress,” Paulina said. She followed closely as Manson walked out of the building. “What was that weird hairstyle? Tell me what it’s called, tell me how you did your make up.” 

“You think dressing like me will get his attention?” Manson said. “That’s ridiculous.” 

“I’m willing to try anything at this point,” Paulina muttered. 

Manson huffed. “Just google gothic lolita.” 

After delivering that little tidbit Manson flipped her off and picked up her pace. 

Well, that was more than enough. Paulina let her go. 

oOo

It was like wearing a Halloween costume. Paulina pictured herself as Frankenstein’s bride. Or Morticia from _ The Adam’s Family. _ Except she wasn’t about to let herself look all pasty. It wouldn’t work with her tan, after all. She’d need to coat her entire body in white powder to pull it off and who the hell has time for _ that_? 

But it didn’t matter, she had The Look and that was good enough wasn’t it? 

She hoped so. 

Finding the ghost boy turned out to be the easy part. She just had to keep an eye on the hashtag _ amityparkghostboy _and she was notified every time someone spotted him. Though the ghost had a habit of vanishing as soon as he noticed anyone looking at him, it was often possible for people to sneak photos before he left. 

Paulina ran to several different locations he’d been spotted at, trying to get there as soon as a post went up. It took her a few days because she couldn’t run after him while she was at school, but she finally caught him at the public library of all places. 

He was floating in the young adult section, reading a Harry Potter book. Dammit, was he a nerd? Paulina had to laugh at herself as she watched him. Well, she was a nerd now too wasn’t she? She’d painted her nails _black_. Did social standing even matter anymore? Not when you’re dead, she figured. And she wouldn’t mind dying today if she knew she could stick around, young and beautiful forever. 

“Harry Potter was trending for a bit,” Paulina said conversationally. The ghost boy gasped and looked over his shoulder. He seemed to flicker. As if someone were rapidly turning the lights on and off, but only for him. “I think I saw the third and fourth movie because they were so popular. But then they fell out of style. And I never properly watched the series.” 

He stared at her with wide eyes, taking in her outfit. “Do you like it?” she said. She held up the hem of her dress, showing off the white tights and petticoat underneath. “It’s brand new.” 

“P-paulina?” he croaked. 

She squealed, “You know me?” It wasn’t cool to squeal anymore, or to clap your hands and jump like an excited bunny, but Paulina couldn’t help herself. This was going better than she had imagined. 

His eyes widened and he vanished. 

“No, come back!” she said, stomping a foot. It had been going so well. “Ghost boy!” 

“Shhh,” he whispered. She could feel the words against her ear and she shivered. “This is a _ library._” 

“Come back,” she whispered. “I’ll be a good girl…”

Was he hesitating or was he gone? She reached out into the air, hoping to bump against him, but there was nothing. Though there seemed to be a chill in the air. Him? Or the air vent over their heads? 

“D-don’t ask me any questions,” the ghost boy murmured. He reappeared directly in front of her, a lot closer than she’d expected. She beamed and leaned towards him, almost close enough to give him a kiss. 

“Can I ask just _ one _ thing?” she said. She fluttered her eyelashes. “Please?” 

He sighed. “Alright.” He was still holding the Harry Potter book, she noticed. He cradled it like a baby. No, he clutched it to his chest. Squeezing it like a favored plushie. 

“Did you read those when you were alive?” Paulina said. 

He nearly dropped the book. Did he forget he was holding it? He chuckled at himself, picking it back up and returning it to its shelf. He scratched the back of his head. “Um, no actually. I saw all the movies as they came out and then forgot about the series. Wh-when I was alive I thought reading was boring.” 

Interesting. 

“What changed your mind?” she said. Paulina made a show of settling in on the floor, arranging her dress around her in a cute little pool of black. The ghost boy wearily mirrored her, sitting down and glancing around. But this part of the library was deserted for now. 

“I was just bored,” the ghost boy said. “You get a lot of free time when you’re dead, you know? More than you could ever want or know what to do with. But it turns out I really like reading. I wish I had known how much more intense it is. Th-than watching a movie, I mean.” 

“I like intense.” She winked. 

Most guys would blush at a line like that. He didn’t. But he looked down. Success? 

“What do you want?” he said. He was staring at her arms, at her elbow length fingerless gloves, at her black nails. She was very good at tracking the specifics of a boy’s gaze. 

“What’s your name?” Paulina said. She ran her fingers through her hair and he followed the movement. 

He snorted, “You already used up your one question remember?” 

She pouted. He grinned in response, finally meeting her gaze with confidence. 

“You can call me Phantom,” he said. He tugged at his earlobe and for the first time she noticed the weird green earrings he was wearing. Had he always had those? 

“And you can call _ me_,” Paulina said. The dress didn’t have pockets, of course, and she hadn’t had time to buy a purse to match it, but now she was glad for that. He still had an eye on her hands when she pulled the slip up paper out from under the gloves. “Anytime…” 

He took the paper, eyes widening. “Is this your phone number?!” 

“No, it’s my social security,” she joked. “Yes, it’s my phone number!” 

He grinned. “So you _ do _have a sense of humor.” 

“Who said I didn’t?” she crossed her arms and glared at him exaggeratedly. That got him laughing. But when the laughter died out he frowned. 

“I’m sorry,” Phantom said. “I can’t call you.” 

Careful to control her tone, so that it sounded nonchalantly curious instead of whiny, she said, “Why not?” 

“I don’t have a phone,” he said. He shrugged and held his hands out, palms up, in a _ ‘What can ya do?’ _sort of way. 

“Oh.” That was definitely an obstacle. “And I don’t suppose you have a pen either, huh?” 

“Um, no, sorry.” He looked confused as she brusquely stood up, dusting off her dress and heading for the front desk. “Sh-should I stay here?” 

“Yeah,” she said. “I’ll be right back.” 

When she returned Phantom was pacing in the isle. He had a hand on one of his ears. Tapping the earring, it looked like. He murmured something to himself and flickered out of view when he spotted her. Was that something he did out of shyness?

Adorable. He reappeared for her and smiled sheepishly. 

She gave him a new piece of paper. A post it note this time, with her address on it.

“I have school and cheerleading practice,” Paulina said. “But I’m home in the evenings, of course.” She would stay home all weekend if he asked her too. But best not to lead with that. “On weekdays, I mean. On weekends it’s up in the air, of course.” 

Stop saying _ of course_, she thought. Never in her life had she felt this self conscious.

Phantom was having a similar problem. “Y-you want me to… to…” 

“To come over,” Paulina said. She nibbled at her bottom lip, drawing his eyes there. Today her lipstick was an intense blood red and she wondered if he liked it. Or should she have sucked it up and gone with the black? It had felt too garish when she’d tried it on at home. Too tacky. The ghost boy’s mouth formed this cute little O as he processed her words and she decided red had been a good call. 

Then he disappeared again.

“Phantom?”

“I’m still here,” he said. “Sorry. I have to go, but um. I’ll… I’ll s-see you. Um, later.” 

“That a promise?” She shivered and wondered if he’d gotten closer. Paulina really wanted to touch him, but didn’t want to be seen blindly scrambling after him again. 

“Yes,” he murmured. Then he was gone. She was certain of it this time. Because it was suddenly too warm in the library for the layers she had on. Removing the gloves, she headed for the elevator. Maybe she should go to Victoria's Secret on the way home, she thought. And look for a black nightgown.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tucker finally meets Phantom! :D

Hangouts with Fenton had become decidedly less spontaneous every since the Fenton Ghost Detector became a thing. Phantom had to wait for him to turn it off before he could go inside the house. Which was easier said than done, it turned out. His parents had begun to pick up on it.

But now they finally had a way to communicate. The Fenton Phones looked like the kind of earpiece you’d expect to see on a CIA agent except, well, kind of bulkier and bright green. So less cool and more conspicuous, but hey! They were functional. 

And today, for the first time in months, their parents would be gone for hours. They were at a special Engineering convention two towns over and might even decide to spend the night out there. It was unlikely, but Phantom was hopeful. And when Jazz got home she’d just go straight to her room. Even if she didn’t, she had always avoided the lab like the plague.

Yet he couldn’t bring himself to return to visibility. 

“You’re just pulling my leg, right?” Tucker was saying. “The ghost boy wouldn’t really-”

“His name is Phantom,” Fenton said, reaching out blindly. “Aha! He _ is _here.”

He’d found Phantom’s shoulder. “Dude, what gives?” 

It was a little late to explain, but part of the problem was Sam. She was glaring at her boots and Phantom wasn’t looking forward to having the stink eye directed at _ him _.

“Just a tad nervous,” Phantom said. 

Tucker tutted. “Anyone can simulate a disembodied voice these days. You just need an impressive speaker system. Record any voice you want, just someone I don’t know, then add in some distortion to make it sound ghostly.” 

“You think Danny would know how to do any of that?” Sam said. “Or have the tech?” 

“I thought you wanted me to introduce you,” Fenton murmured. Both hands on Phantom’s shoulders, he tried to lean towards Phantom’s ear, but bumped into the back of his head. It was a light bump, almost a nudge. “You change your mind? I won’t be mad if you did.” 

Instead of answering, Phantom focused on the cold coating of invisibility that he instinctively wrapped around himself. It was a protective blanket, but he didn’t need protecting right now. He loosened his hold. 

Tucker gasped. 

“Hallelujah,” Sam muttered. “He has finally deigned to grace us with his presence.” 

Fenton laughed nervously. “The sarcastic goth is Sam, of course.” 

Being formally introduced was cringey and unnecessary, but Fenton didn’t know that he already knew her as _ Phantom _as well as from his memories. 

Patting Tucker on the head, Fenton added. “And this one is Tucker.” 

When the shock wore off Tucker took out his phone and began taking photos. Then he propped an iPad up a table, starting a video. Phantom was tempted to disappear again, but Fenton assured him nothing would be posted on social media.

_"Right_, Tuck?” He elbowed Tucker and raised his eyebrows.

Tucker whined. “What’s the point of being friends with the town’s most famous ghost-”

“Tuck, c’mon. Promise him you won’t post anything.” It was odd, seeing Fenton trying to be authoritative. He was trying to scowl in a threatening manner, but the jut of his lower lip looked like more of a pout. The crease between his brows that of a petulant child. 

“Fine,” Tucker sighed. “I won’t post anything _ for now._”

Then he turned to Phantom and, using his phone like a mic, pointed it at the ghost’s mouth. “If you’ll just formally introduce yourself, my good sir, we can get this interview started.”

“Interview?” Phantom said. He glanced at Sam, who had wandered off to scrutinize what looked like a giant dream catcher. The girl was straight up ignoring them.

“He’s just curious,” Fenton said. “Don’t worry, think of it like those icebreakers we have to do at school sometimes. It’s like a roleplay, just to get to know you.” 

The icebreakers Phantom remembered from middle school involved trying to balance a marshmallow on a tower of straws. The word ‘roleplay’ had a different context for him.

He was glad he couldn’t blush. 

“So he was a normal student before he died?” Tucker said. Fenton shrugged and nodded at the same time. Tucker scrutinized Phantom’s hazmat suit, but instead of asking about it, he said, “What’s the last grade level you attended, then? Phantom?”

He was still holding the phone up. Phantom glared at it, noticing a little microphone icon was lit up and flashing. But he really shouldn’t be surprised at this reaction. Being a ghost meant Phantom couldn’t just meet someone and bond over video games and meat lovers pizza. Without a username for cover he couldn’t expect to stroll up, glowing and floating, and have Tucker accept him as just another guy joining the party. 

For Tucker, this meeting was an _ event. _But maybe the novelty would wear off with time.

“Oh man, it’s such a fog,” Phantom said. He brought his legs up so he could sit indian style. His torso remained at Tucker’s eye level, but now there was more distance between him and the ground. Tucker grinned at the change. 

“I know I was in middle school,” Phantom continued. “What grades are those?” 

“Sixth through eight,” Fenton said. If he was surprised by Phantom’s demeanor shift, he didn’t show it. Nor did he express surprise at Phantom’s fib about foggy memories. 

“But it wasn’t always that way!” Tucker said. “In the past the 5th grade was also middle school. You look way too old for that though, I’d say you were at least a 7th grader. But could have been in 8th.” 

“Let’s go with that then,” Phantom said. Then, because he didn’t know what else to do, finger guns. He had immediate regrets, but Tucker seemed charmed. He was laughing.

Then more questions came, rapid fire:

“What sort of family did you have? Any siblings? Older or younger? Think any of them are still alive?? Do you remember where you lived? Ever go to that house, like, as a ghost? Does a new family live there now? Is it sad to see people aging without you? Or do you not keep tabs on them?”

Tucker paused to take a breath and Phantom and Fenton could only blink at him. From the other side of the lab, Sam groaned. 

“Oh! What was your real name though?” Tucker continued, seeming unsurprised that he hadn’t gotten any answers. “No one names a baby ‘Phantom’ haha. Did you forget it?” 

“Um, I don’t know,” Phantom said. “Th-that is… I don’t remember things like that.”

Tucker nodded. “Makes sense.” Then he stood up and addressed his iPad. “Now for the fun part!”

“The fun part?” Fenton said. He looked at Phantom apologetically. 

“Let’s catalogue his powers!” Tucker said. He clapped Phantom on the back and flinched back when he actually made contact. “Whoa, you’re cold. Though I thought you’d be colder, honestly. Hey, so you good to give us a few demonstrations?” 

Phantom grinned and tried to crack his knuckles. They didn’t crack, of course. He kept forgetting he didn’t have bones. But the gesture still had meaning, he supposed. 

“Hell yeah,” he said. “What do you want to see?” 

“Um, anything visually impressive?” Tucker said. “Stuff people can’t write off as special effects.” 

Fenton elbowed Tucker, who hastily added, “Not that any people will be seeing this…”

So Phantom picked Fenton up and floated them to the ceiling. The boy grunted in surprise, but otherwise didn’t protest being manhandled. 

Phantom disappeared and allowed Fenton to remain visible, appearing to float on his own as they traveled. Tucker followed underneath with the iPad. 

Then Phantom extended the ‘blanket’ of invisibility to Fenton and Tucker gasped. “You can make people invisible too?!” 

He could feel Fenton shiver. “It’s c-colder,” Fenton said. 

“Sorry,” Phantom murmured. He hugged Fenton closer to him, though he knew that wouldn’t generate any warmth. 

“Hey, I need _ visuals _ guys,” Tucker said. “Come back out.”

“Hold on tight,” Phantom whispered. He’d been holding Fenton’s torso with both of them facing the ground, and the camera, but now he tried to turn Fenton around so the human could put his arms and legs around him. It was harder to do than he’d thought it would be, and Phantom almost dropped him. 

Fenton shouted and Tucker flinched. “Danny?” 

“I’m okay!” Fenton said. He was latched onto Phantom like a koala to a tree branch. Phantom rubbed soothing circles on his back and murmured apologies. 

“The fuck are you doing Phantom?” Sam said. She had joined Tucker behind his camera and showed him one of the Fenton gadgets. “It looks like thermal imaging. See that moving cold spot? They’re coming towards us.” 

“Phantom the ground!” Fenton gasped as they swam through the asphalt, gliding under their friend’s feet. “Ph-phantom, it’s too d-dark.” 

Poor guy was probably freezing. But Phantom was enjoying this a lot more than he had expected. Hearing his name stuttered out like that… And the way Fenton clung to him...

“We’re visible now,” he chuckled. “But intangible. I’m going to float us back up so they can _ see_. A good trick for Tucker, eh?” 

They rose between Sam and Tucker’s feet and the two sprung further apart to give them room. Tucker quickly directed his iPad at them and Sam put down the thermal what-ever-it-was. She was making faces and exaggeratedly rolling her eyes. 

Phantom moved slowly, reluctant to put Fenton down. But he’d run out of ideas, so he set him on his feet and floated away. He wanted to swim languidly through the air. He wanted to strike a casual pose. But trying to look cool always had the opposite effect, didn’t it? Now he was feeling self conscious.

“No come baaack,” Tucker whined when Phantom disappeared again. He turned to Sam. “Where did he go?” 

She ignored him and glared at the ceiling. “Stop messing around,” she said. “Or I’m leaving.” 

Phantom re-appeared directly in front of her and she flinched.

“Sorry,” Phantom said. “I’ll stay put. Uh, I mean visible. Also, I mean. Visible _ and _ still. I promise.” 

“This time, huh?” she said. He had a feeling she was trying to reference the night of the dance. But this wasn’t the time to be talking about that. 

Fenton and Tucker exchanged a look. Could they tell?! Or was he just paranoid? 

“Phantom is a stupid name,” Sam said. It seemed like a random declaration, but Phantom recognized the challenge for what it was.

_ Sam _had come up with the name not long after the accident, though she hardly used it. She wanted him to acknowledge that. To apologize for pretending not to know her. 

Or maybe she was just pissed. He wasn’t a mind reader. 

“Um, okay,” he said. “Sorry.” 

“Hey man, don’t let her intimidate you,” Tucker said. “She’s just joking.” 

Phantom looked at Fenton. He was surprised _ he _ hadn’t said anything. Fenton just stood there, rubbing the goose bumps on his arms, and raised his eyebrows when they made eye contact. Phantom looked away. 

When the basement door opened Phantom did not hesitate to break his promise. Invisibility was a good instinct, it turned out. 

Jack and Maddie Fenton came down the stairs. They were carrying a glowing cage with them. The ghost inside was a blob of shifting gelatin, it wriggled and grew, shrank, grew, tried to solidify into a square, then seemed to melt and shrink again. 

Neither of them seemed surprised by the teenagers in their ghost lab. Though Maddie looked confused. “Danny, did you turn off the Ghost Detector?” 

“Uh… no?” Fenton said. Phantom put a hand on his shoulder, tapping his finger three times. It was his way of saying _ goodbye. _

She helped Jack set the cage down on the floor and put her hands on her hips. “Then why didn’t the alarm detect this little guy, huh?” 

He floated away while Fenton gave his response. “Maybe it broke?” 

That was the last thing he heard. He started flying towards Casper High, purely out of habit, when he remembered the piece of paper he’d stashed at the neck of his jumpsuit. 

Paulina’s address. Would it be strange to pay her a visit so soon? Maybe. But maybe not... either way, he changed direction. 


	3. Chapter 3

Paulina was in the kitchen with her mom when Phantom got there. They were making enchiladas or something. He knew he couldn’t approach her until she was alone, but it felt wrong to hang around _ watching _her like this. So he almost left.

But it was _ Paulina._ He hadn’t spoken to her since…

Actually, when was the last time he’d spoken to her before today? He couldn’t pin it down.

They had gym together once. Second semester, seventh grade. Stoked by the opportunity, he tried to get her attention by doing the most jumping jacks. None of the jocks were in the class, they had an entirely separate gym period for sports (and cheerleading wasn’t considered a sport, what luck!) so he was actually able to hold his own for once. 

Sam wasn’t in the class either. He’d been so relieved by that. In retrospect Phantom felt guilty. But why feel guilty over a small little thing like that? The only reason he had been happy about it had nothing to do with Sam herself. It’s just that she would have creamed him. She had amazing stamina. 

As Paulina and her family sat down for dinner Phantom cringed to himself, remembering his pathetic attempt to impress her. Sure, he’d done the most jumping jacks. Whoop dee freaking do. But when he was done he couldn’t _ breath. _ Let alone talk to her. 

Still, it was better to torture himself with old memories than to eavesdrop on the Sanchez family, right? He decided to loiter in her room to get away from them.

But it felt weird being in a girls room without permission. Like the time he’d floated into the girls locker room. He felt bad about it, he did! But he couldn’t resist going in at least once.

As soon as they’d started undressing he had closed his eyes. But he stuck around and listened. Just being in the room was enough to excite him, not that he could-

_ Get your mind out of the gutter, Fenton! _ Phantom thought. Then he sighed, noticing the thin layer of frost on Paulina’s window and full length mirror. 

Not good. Calm down. Or actually, this was probably a sign. Time to leave, right?

But then Paulina walked into the room. She turned on the light and immediately saw her breath. Then she looked around, eager as a little girl on Christmas morning, and called out to him. The fact that she remembered his name_ Phantom, Phantom, Phantom?_ Well, that made it impossible to leave. 

And though he could not blush, Phantom felt himself thaw. The frost melted and he watched it drip down the mirror. 

When he cast off his invisibility she gasped and sprang forward, hugging him.

He immediately disappeared again, but she just giggled and said, “I’ve still got you!” 

Though he could have easily escaped with intangibility, he didn’t. Instead he put his arms around her and tried not to melt into a goop of ectoplasm at her feet.

“Are you shy?” Paulina said. “You’re such a cutie, can’t I see your face?” 

“Uh, I’m working on it,” Phantom said. “S-sometimes it’s hard to control.” 

His feet weren’t touching the ground and he liked the way it made him seem so much taller than her. But then Paulina walked towards her bed and he realized she was practically carrying him. 

Then he was under her.

It was similar to that time with Sam. Yet the way Paulina smirked, sexy and confident, was entirely different. She was like a predator.

And Phantom was what? Dessert? 

Good thing he didn’t need to breath. 

“I want to see you,” Paulina whispered. She ran a hand up his stomach, past his chest, and paused against his collarbone. “You’re so cold.” 

“That’s kind of a natural side effect to, uh, death.” 

“I bet I could warm you up,” Paulina said. “If you’ll let me.” 

“I know for a fact that I’d let you do whatever you want to do,” Phantom said. “Hell, I’d let you kill me again, if you wanted to.” 

In his head it had seemed like a cool line. But out loud it was morbid, wasn’t it? And pathetic.

He didn’t want to see the disgust on her face. Phantom closed his eyes.

Paulina’s hand was still on his collarbone. It shifted up to rest against his neck. Her other hand fumbled on the bed until it landed on his leg. She let it slowly travel up his body until it also reached his neck.

He gasped when she gave a squeeze. But she wasn’t trying to choke him. 

Right? 

She lightened her hold and he felt her lips replace her hands. Felt her weight when she decided to actually sit on top of him. Before she’d just been hovering. 

“Don’t you want to touch me?” she said. 

He kept his eyes closed. “No,” he said. As he said it Phantom realized that touching her was the one thing he did _ not _want to do. He was certain of it, but he couldn’t figure out why.

Because he was afraid of ruining things the way he had with Sam?

He was already invisible. And Paulina had accepted that.. so what could go wrong? Phantom thought of himself in gym class, panting so badly he thought he would hyperventilate. He thought he would puke, or faint, or die right there. 

None of those things were possible anymore.

When he felt her hands on his cheeks Phantom finally opened his eyes, simultaneously deactivating his invisibility. It was the first time he’d done so without meaning to. 

Paulina was still wearing goth makeup. It was a sign of her feelings, he thought as she smiled down at him. Phantom knew enough about girls to recognize the bid for his attention. Should he tell her it was unnecessary? Maybe she could go wash her face. 

“There you are,” she said. 

“H-hi.” It wasn’t possible to play things cool. Not with Paulina. Not with anyone. He just wasn’t a cool guy. But he didn’t feel ashamed, this time. 

He kissed her. 

Paulina blinked. The look on her face said, _ that’s it? _

Aaaand he disappeared again.

Was it because it was too fast? Too small? Phantom didn’t know enough about kissing to be doing this. He knew there were different kinds. A french kiss is with tongue. A normal kiss is with your mouth closed. But for longer. What had he done? A peck? 

“Wait,” Paulina said. “I didn’t mean to-” 

Phantom lost his hold on corporeal form and Paulina dropped down into the bed with a surprised little squeak.

Just. Like. With. Sam.

“Phantom _ wait_,” she said. 

But he didn’t wait. He flew away. Like a coward. 

He flew to Casper High and paced around. He kicked over a trash can. He set up beakers in a line in the cafeteria and shot them all to pieces with ecto blasts. 

When he told Tucker he only remembered middle school it wasn’t strictly a lie. Phantom had barely started high school when he’d died. He had attended Casper High for two and a half weeks. Then the accident had happened. 

So the school had become a nice place for him to loiter. It didn’t have the weight of memories, but it also didn’t feel like a place he Should Not Be. He’d tried to explain that feeling to Fenton once. Phantom had wandered into the post office that day, because he was bored, and he’d felt uncomfortable. More than uncomfortable, he’d felt _ repelled_. The post office was a place he’d never have gone while alive.

Visiting his middle school was too depressing, but Casper High was just right. Especially today. He found the box ghost messing around in the basement. They tussled. 

He might have spent days beating the other ghost up if Fenton hadn’t called when he did.


	4. Chapter 4

It looked like Fenton Works would be a ghost free household for the foreseeable future. When Mom was through with the lecture she did more than just turn the ghost alarm back on. She locked it up. There was no way Danny would be able to turn it off again. 

Which was a shame because where else would he and Phantom hang out? They couldn’t exactly wander around the mall without drawing attention. Even if he wasn’t immediately recognized for his infamy people might think it was weird to see a glowing teenager casually window shop. It just wouldn’t work. 

Tucker said they could go to his place. “But, you know, if my parents come knocking on my door he needs to disappear, same as he did with yours. Cause I am not about to try and explain how and why I’m suddenly friends with a dead guy.” 

Despite his original shock and fascination Tucker took to Phantom easily. When the ghost had re-materialized beside them he barely even flinched. “So that’s just going to be a thing now, huh? Okaaaaay.” 

He showed Phantom his favorite gadgets with his usual enthusiasm, pleased to be introducing them for what he thought was the first time. 

“It’s practically _ vintage _,” he was saying, proudly showcasing his projector. “And don’t you just love the giant TV? My mom painted that for me.” 

One wall of his bedroom was dedicated to the painted TV. When Tucker fired up the projector the screen materialized within the confines of the design. He showed them the footage he’d taken of Phantom. “The quality isn’t as great as, you know, an actual giant TV. But it’s not about that…” 

Was it the years he’d already spent with Tucker that made it so easy for Phantom to talk with him about his favorite things? They went from tech and special effects jargon to movie references that went over Danny’s head. He tried to keep up, but before he knew it he was tuning out. They hardly seemed to notice. 

He wished Sam had stuck around, but she had elected to go home instead of following them to Tucker’s. Because she didn’t like Phantom? That’s what it had seemed like.

Though she’d accepted the Fenton Phones he’d given her for ghost emergencies. 

“That’s Danny’s favorite part too!” Tucker was saying. Danny had no idea what movie they were even talking about. “Man, you guys have so much in common, it’s freaky.” 

And just like that the room’s temperature plummeted. Danny scrambled up to turn off the ceiling fan, chuckling nervously. “Whoa, did your mom blast the AC?”

“She must have,” Tucker said. They both shivered. “Haha, weird...” 

Phantom was flickering. He looked apologetic.

As casually as possible Danny tugged Phantom’s leg, which was hovering just below eye level, and pulled him onto Tucker’s bed. He settled against the ghost with an arm around his shoulder, ignoring the cold. 

Did the room warm up? He couldn’t be sure pressed up against Phantom like this.

“Gaaay,” Tucker said, directing his iPad at them for a picture. 

Danny flushed and removed his arm from around Phantom’s shoulder, but the ghost snaked _ his _arm around Danny’s waist. He laughed and nuzzled his chin into Danny’s neck. “Wha, you don’t love me? Stop squirming away.” 

“Y-you... I just... hey! It’s cold,” Danny said. He put his hands against Phantom’s face and shoved him away. 

“Then why’d you cuddle up to me, hmm?” 

“Yeah why’d you cuddle up to him?” Tucker echoed, snickering. They was having way too much fun with this. 

Danny jumped off the bed and threw his hands up, “I don’t know!”

That made them laugh even harder. Scowling, Danny announced that he needed to pee. He slammed the door behind him as he left and Tucker’s mom shouted up from downstairs. “Watch it! Don’t destroy my house!”

“S-sorry, Mrs. Foley!” Danny called down. 

Then, because he had no other choice, Danny locked himself in the bathroom.

He didn’t need to pee. 

oOo

After eating dinner with the Foleys, Danny walked home. He half expected Phantom to stay behind with his new best friend, but the ghost was hanging off Danny’s shoulders as he walked. “Dude, go back to being invisible.” 

“But his parents are inside,” Phantom said.

“What if they peek out the window?” 

At first Phantom just had his hands on Danny’s shoulders, he acted like he was floating in a swimming pull and being pulled through the water like a toddler with a lifeguard. But then he shifted forward, fully wrapping his arms around Danny’s neck and clinging like a koala. “They won’t,” he said.

“What if somebody _ else _ peeks out their window?” Danny said. “Or comes out of their house to take out the trash?” 

Phantom sighed. The puff of cold hair tickled the back of Danny’s neck. “Fine, fine.”

And suddenly Phantom’s cool arms went from pleasantly cool to freezing. He took notice of the way Danny shivered. “See? That’s why I wanted to stay visible.”

“Well, you could also get _ off me_,” Danny said.

“Nah.” Phantom carded his fingers through Danny’s hair from the base of his neck to the top of his head. Being pet against the natural fall of his hair felt amazing. Of course Phantom knew it would.

Sometimes it was unsettling, the things Phantom knew about his body before _ Danny _ did.

“You’re so touchy these days.” Danny shoved his hands into his pockets and tried to keep his posture straight, but he could feel his shoulders rising against his will. He’d seen himself reflected like that in a window once: shoulders to his ears and head hunched forward. It wasn’t flattering. 

Phantom didn’t respond. Just kept petting him.

“Did you have fun?” Danny said. They’d almost reached Fenton Works, so they’d have to say goodbye.

“I did,” Phantom said. “Though it was… weird.” 

“Think it’ll be less weird next time?” 

“Maybe.” 

Suddenly Phantom was gone. His weight, and the cold he brought with him, had vanished like smoke. Danny blinked and before he knew it the ghost was directly in front of him, glowing softly under the street lights. “Hey do you have homework tonight?”

“No,” Danny said. It was a bald faced lie. 

Phantom tutted.

“Okay, not much,” Danny amended. “Nothing due tomorrow!” 

He had an idea of why Phantom had asked. It was always the same reason.

“Ah, but I can’t turn the ghost alarm off anymore.” Danny glared at the Fenton Works sign over their heads. It represented the Powers That Be, namely the ghost hunters that wanted to destroy his best friend.

Phantom didn’t even look surprised. “It was only a matter of time,” he said. “But that’s alright. I have an idea.” 

oOo

“I am _ not _jumping,” Danny said.

“I’ll catch you!” 

“Why can’t I just sneak out the front door?” 

_ “They’ll _ catch you.”

“Very funny.” 

“It’s past your bedtime, Fenton. If you want to be a rebellious teenager the window is the only way to go.” 

“Maybe I don’t want to be a rebellious teenager.”

Phantom pouted. “But we barely got to hang out today!”

“We spent hours together!”

“Nah, I was with Tucker. You were sulking in the corner.” 

“I wasn’t sulking.” 

“Suuure you weren’t.”

“Now _ you’re _sulking.” 

“Do you want me to sulk?” Phantom smirked. “Want me to beg?” 

Danny blushed. “Don’t say it like that…” 

“How should I say it?” Phantom waggled his eyebrows. “Tell me how ya like it.” 

“Why are you and Tucker such pervs?” 

“We’re teenage boys,” Phantom said. “It’s normal. You’re the weirdo.” 

“Am not.” Danny heard knocking on his door. When he turned back to his open window Phantom was gone. 

_ Not gone_, he assured himself. _ Just hiding. _

“Why is your door always locked?” Jazz said when he opened it. 

“Because you’ll just come in if I don’t lock it.” 

“I’d still knock.”

“You’d knock and then come in. And what if I’m changing or something?”

“_Were _ you changing?” She frowned at his clothes. Jazz was in pajamas but he was still fully dressed. He even had his shoes on. 

“I was _ about _to.” 

“Alright, sorry.” Jazz smiled at him. It was a smile he’d come to dread. Uncertain and hopeful. “I just wanted to help you study.”

He blinked.

“For the midterm?” Jazz waved a packet of papers in his face. “You _ are _ studying, right? I found my exam from my Freshman year, thought it would help.” 

When he reached for it Jazz pulled it out of reach. “Let me go over it with you.”

“I can read it on my own, Jazz.” 

“But-”

“Or I can study without it.” 

“Ugh, alright,” she sighed, but let him take it. “Let me know if you need help with anything. Or if my handwriting is hard to read-”

“You’ve got perfect handwriting.” 

“I wrote it in cursive.” 

“What?!” 

She giggled. “I’m kidding! You should have seen your face.” 

He laughed despite himself. And it was nice. Danny was almost tempted to change his mind and let her into the room. He really _ should _ study. Plus, she was an excellent teacher.

But Phantom was hovering outside, waiting for him to jump out a window.

“Can we go over it tomorrow?” As soon as he said it he wished he hadn’t. Danny braced himself for a lecture on procrastination. Or for her to try and diagnose his tendency to avoid responsibilities. 

She didn’t lecture him. Jazz ruffled his hair and said, “Be home by four and I’ll consider it a study date.” 

“Ew, don’t call it a date.” 

“A study session, then.” 

Before he could stop her Jazz kissed him on the cheek. He made a face and wiped at the damp spot left behind and she laughed, ruffling his hair again. “See you tomorrow, little brother.” 

She shivered and glanced over his shoulder. “You shouldn’t leave your window open.” 

“Sorry, I’ll close it right now.” 

Rubbing her arms, Jazz nodded. He carefully closed his door behind her and locked it. Then he went back to his window and called out to Phantom. “You okay?” 

Phantom re-appeared. He tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace. 

“Do you still want to catch me?” Danny tugged at the hairs at the back of his neck. “Or just let me fall? I’ll jump either way.” 

“Don’t even joke about that.” Phantom’s eyes were glowing more brightly than usual. They felt like high beams, searing into Danny’s soul. Looking for… well, Danny didn’t know.

He swallowed. “I’m sorry.” 

Not just for the joke, he thought. For everything. For being a thief. 

Phantom blinked and his eyes were back to normal. He smiled. “We still hanging out?” 

Instead of answering, Danny jumped. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be some actual plot in the next chapter, I swear! Weird shenanigans are in store for Danny and co. when he goes to school and sees that the entire student body is dressed in black and neon blue. Cult like obsession for a certain teen pop star... sound familiar?


	5. Chapter 5

“It’s the Big Dipper, Fenton! It’s the easiest one to spot, look, it’s right _ there_.” Phantom tried pointing with his head, bobbing it back and forth towards the sky. 

He looked like someone who woke up with neck pain and spent their entire morning trying to shake it off.

He looked like someone who wanted to dance, but didn’t have the courage to get up so he just nodded along to the beat.

He looked like-

“Fenton, look at the _ stars_.” 

They were floating just above the clouds. It was a little hard to breath, the air was so thin.

That’s why Danny was feeling light headed. It made perfect sense.

“Sorry, sorry,” Danny said. “My eyes are back on the distant dots. Yep, they totally look like… something. I can actually see the invisible lines playing connect the dot. What a super power.” 

“You’re horrible.” 

How was he supposed to pay attention to the stupid stars while being cradled in Phantom’s arms? It wasn’t exactly a bridal carry. More like Tarzan and Jane. Spiderman and MJ. But there was no vine, no spider web. Just Phantom floating _ untethered _above the clouds.

And glowing more brightly than the stars. 

“You’re cold, aren’t you?” Phantom said. “We should go back.”

“Not yet! I’m not that cold.” Danny kept his eyes firmly on the sky. “I finally found the Big Dipper.” 

“Liar.” 

“I know you are, but what am I.” 

“You’re a human who needs warmth. And sleep. It’s getting late.” 

Danny didn’t answer. 

Instead he tightened his hold around Phantom’s shoulders and put his face against the ghost’s neck. He knew better than to try and look around while they were flying.

And that was all the answer Phantom needed. 

oOo

At school the next day, he accidentally fell asleep in class. Lancer slammed a textbook by his head and Danny bolted upright. “I’m up!”

Cue laughter, yada yada. He could care less. As Lancer paced around and lectured about responsibility and the importance of the midterm exam a note landed on his desk.

**Something’s going on.**

He glanced over at Sam. She twirled a finger around in a _ look around _ kind of way. But when he glanced around at their peers he couldn’t figure out what she meant.

Lancer was pissed today because students were slacking off. He had a pile of phones on his desk, each of them attached to earbuds, and he gestured at them as he ranted. “And don’t try to tell me the music is helping you study. It’s a myth! A needless distraction…” 

When he looked over at Sam again she was glaring at him. He shrugged. She rolled her eyes and threw another note over: **Look at their clothes!**

It was true that there was a lot of black. Ever since Paulina’s goth princess makeover it had become a trend, but there were also a lot of of neon blue. Neon blue bracelets and shoes. Neon blue hair streaks and eye shadow. It looked like merch of some kind, but he didn’t know what for.

“So what?” he whispered. 

She pointed at Tucker, who was also wearing black and neon blue. That in itself wouldn’t have been so odd. Except that, for the first time in years, he _ wasn’t _wearing his red beanie.

Okay that was a little weird. 

When class was over Tucker filled them both in on the pop singer, Ember McLain, and wanted to share her hit song. “No thanks,” Sam said. “Looks like garbage.” 

“Just _ listen _-” He played the song on full blast.

Sam frowned. “Yep, sounds generic.” 

Looking flabbergasted, Tucker turned to Danny, who shrugged. “Generically decent?” 

“I don’t understand,” Tucker said. “Ember is a goddess. Ah! You need to _ see _ her, watch the music video!” 

Danny and Sam exchanged a look. 

“He wasn’t like this yesterday, right?” Sam said.

“He was perfectly normal when we were at his house,” Danny said. “And it was kinda late when we left…”

“I stayed up all night watching and re-watching all of her stuff,” Tucker said. “As soon as someone sent me a link, I was in love!” 

Sam groaned. “Why?”

“Because?! She’s a goddess! Look, look!” He played one of her music videos.

The singer was definitely attractive. Danny took Tucker’s phone from him to study the video. Ember had long blue hair tied up at the top of her head, almost looking like a fancy water fountain with the way it cascaded up and then fell back down to her neck.

But then she sang and her hair lifted. Like a smoldering flame. And she had a glow about her. Special effects? 

“Don’t get roped in.” Sam took the phone and handed it back to Tucker. “C’mon we’re going to be late for class.” 

Then suddenly it was like the volume had been turned up. Ember McLain’s voice drifted over the entire school, so loud that they all vibrated with it.

Someone yelled “Free concert in front of the school!!” and a stampede exited the building all at once.

The three of them got caught in the traffic. 

“WHO’S READY TO MAKE SOME NOISE?!” 

She was on a parade float set up like a stage with a full band and amplifiers. 

Everywhere students were shouting: Ember! Ember!

“THAT’S RIGHT, TELL ME WHO YOU LOVE!” 

Tucker tried to climb up Danny’s shoulders for a better view, “We love you Ember!” 

Danny shrugged him off and looked around for Sam. She was reaching for them, the crowd was surging towards the stage and taking her with them. Danny leapt forward and managed to grab her arm, hauling her back. “This is insane!” 

“Where the hell are the teachers?!” she said. 

They were sprinkled throughout the crowd, cheering and clapping alongside the students. Even Mr. Lancer was jumping up and down to the beat. He ripped his shirt off and used a black sharpie to write Ember’s name on his chest. 

“Look at the band,” Sam said. “Their skin is _ blue.” _

As if that wasn’t weird enough, Ember McLain had magical growing hair. As she sang and the crowd continued to cheer it towered over her head, floating like an ethereal flame. 

“So, uh, she’s definitely a ghost…” Danny tapped at the Fenton phones over his ears, which he’d taken to wearing everywhere. “I’m calling Phantom.” 

Sam gasped, “These things are more than glorified walkie talkies aren’t they?” She pointed at her own. “What else do they do?” 

“My parents said they’re supposed to filter out ghost noise!” 

Ghost noise or not, Ember’s concert was insanely loud. Danny wasn’t sure if Sam could hear him anymore. He also couldn’t tell what the hell Phantom was saying, though he could hear his voice faintly murmuring through the Fenton Phones.

They tried to get out of the crowd, but they’d ended up smack dab in the middle of it. Trying to force his way through just earned Danny an elbow in the gut and a kick in the shin. He almost lost Sam a second time, but she snaked an arm around his waist and they decided to huddled together. Two sane survivors in a sea of unbridled excitement and teenage rebellion. 

Not that it could really be called a rebellion, Danny spotted the principal near the stage and groaned. This was a cult! In the middle of the day their classes and responsibilities were just being ignored. 

“We have to do something!” Sam shouted. “Don’t you have ghost fighting gadgets?” 

He did, but there was an insurmountable wall of people between them and the ghosts on stage. His belt was equipped mostly with containment gear. He needed an unobstructed shot. 

Useless, useless. Why was he always so useless?!

Then Phantom flew over their heads.


	6. Chapter 6

Their fight was short lived. Phantom's ecto blasts seemed to glide right off the band like bad lighting. Then he was hit with a pink beam that burst out of Ember's guitar.

He was thrown into the crowd and swallowed up.

Danny couldn't hear what Phantom might have said to Ember, the music drowned him out, but her response was crystal clear. She shouted it into the microphone: 

"I'll see you all at the midnight concert!"

And she threw tickets into the crowd. 

Everyone went crazy scrambling to snag one for themselves. Sam ducked down and pulled him with her. 

She said something, but Danny didn't catch it. There was static in his ears.

"...hear me now? Fenton!" 

He was still wearing the Fenton phones.

"Phantom? I can hear you!" Danny said. "Where are you?"

The music had finally stopped. Slowly the crowd loosened. Instead of being pressed shoulder to shoulder students wandered away from each other.

Teachers blinked and shook their heads.

"I'm floating above you, but I thought I should play it safe," Phantom said. "Don't know how a group like this would react to me."

"Is Ember still here?" Sam said. "Or also floating invisible?"

Danny opened his mouth to reply, but Phantom beat him to it.

"No, she's properly gone," Phantom said. "Guys she's ridiculously powerful. It's like she feeds off her popularity."

Danny blinked as Sam grimaced at the words. Oh, Phantom was broadcasting to both the Fenton phones at once. He didn’t know that was an option.

He and Sam straightened up and watched their classmates drifting over the spot where her temporary stage had stood. There were tire marks in the grass. 

"We need to capture her," Danny said. "If I could get close enough I could use the thermos." 

"I can get you close," Phantom said. "At the concert we can-"

A blow horn blared and made Danny's ears pop. Lancer was standing at the school's entrance. He was still missing his shirt.

When he had everyone's attention he put the blow horn down and shouted "Everyone get back inside! Get to your classes!" 

“Let’s regroup when school lets out,” Sam said. “We’ll have a few hours before midnight.”

And with that they trudged inside, following their dazed and dazzled peers. 

oOo

He could almost pretend it had never happened. The teachers were back to normal (though it took Lancer a half hour to find his shirt) and though Ember’s name was a mantra that echoed down the halls and showed up scrawled on bathroom stalls, it really felt like any other teenage trend.

Danny was tempted to take off the Fenton phones. They were the only reminder, conspicuously green at his ears, reflecting back at him in the bathroom mirror as he washed his hands. He could hear Sam and Phantom talking through them throughout the day. Though at first it had sounded like a one sided conversation Phantom was having with himself, Sam had shown him what button to press on his set to make it into a never ending three-way phone call.

“Fenton are you still there?” Phantom said as Danny stood there glaring at his reflection.

“I’m listening,” Danny said.

They were supposed to be strategizing, but what more was there to say? The plan was simple. Sam would make a big show of how much she hated Ember’s music, Phantom would try not to get blasted out of the sky again, and Danny would sneak up behind the stage and pull Ember into the thermos. So why were they still talking?

Sam was giggling and she whispered, “I think you finally got his attention.” 

The two of them were trying to distract Tucker from re-watching Ember music videos on his phone. They were playing some kind of prank using Phantom’s powers. 

Sam and Tucker were in American History together, but he was stuck in Chemistry. And, well, Phantom was in American History too. An invisible playmate. 

Was it arrogant to have assumed Phantom would be following him?

He wanted the school day to be over already, so they could get on with capturing this stupid ghost and he could finally take the Fenton Phones off without risking fan-worship hypnotism. 

oOo

When school was over he ran into Jazz. He didn’t immediately recognize her. She was wearing thick eyeliner and dressed all in black, her crop top eerily similar to Ember McLain’s. She squealed and grabbed his arm. 

“Little brother! Look what I got for you!” Jazz said, holding out two concert tickets and waving them under his nose. “I almost got kicked in the throat, but I managed to grab an extra ticket! I was worried you’d get trampled in that crowd.”

“Um, thanks Jazz,” Danny said. “But uh… you know it's at midnight right?” 

“Of course, it’s _ called _a midnight concert, silly.” She was grinning at him with too many teeth. 

“But it’s a school night,” Danny said. “And weren’t we supposed to study for finals?” 

She rolled her eyes. “We can study anytime!” she waved a hand. “But this concert is a once in a lifetime opportunity! We can’t just sleep through it!” 

Danny could only blink at her, speechless, and then jump as an invisible hand materialized on his shoulder. 

Phantom’s voice seemed to echo, and Danny realized he was hearing him through the Fenton Phone’s and in person, though he murmured at such a low volume it was hard to make out. He said, “This is the most disturbing thing I have ever witnessed.” 

“W-we’ll fix her,” Danny said. 

“We’ll fixate _ on _her,” Jazz said. “I can’t wait to see her on a proper stage!” 

“Um actually, I’d rather stay home tonight,” Danny said. “You should take Tucker with you. He’s a huge fan.” 

“What?” The look on her face, it was as if he’d just recited 100 digits of pi by memory and she had to blink to make sure it was _ him _speaking. “Danny you have to come with me. Don’t you want to?”

“I don’t like her music actually,” Danny said. Phantom had a grip on both his shoulders now and he tried to give a warning squeeze, but it was too late.

“What do you mean you don’t like her music?!” A passing student stopped to glare at him. It wasn’t someone Danny recognized. 

“He doesn’t mean that,” Jazz said. “Danny? You were kidding right?” 

“I don’t think he was kidding,” Dash stomped forward and tried to shove him down the entrance way steps. It was impossible to do with Phantom at his back to steady him. “You’re a fucking freak, it figures you’d rather listen to your outcast girlfriend over anything that’s actually _ cool_.” 

“Um, Sam’s not my-” 

“Let’s just get out of here,” Phantom said. “Sam meet us at your place.” 

Not bothering with subtlety, Phantom simply extended his invisibility and flew them away. 


	7. Chapter 7

Sam lived in a castle. Not like Vlad’s though, where his had been topped by evil looking spikes and decorated in gargoyles (at least Danny’s memory had convinced him there must have been gargoyles) the Manson’s had a tasteful flat and squareness to their castle.

Their mansion. 

She lived in a _mansion_**.**

“You sure you don’t have the wrong place?” Danny said.

Phantom was flickering in and out of view. “I’m sure.” 

“Wh-when did she,” Danny sputtered. “When did _ you. _And her…?”

Phantom was transparent, but his outline was visible. Danny grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. “Phantom! I introduced you two. Didn’t I? Am I an idiot? Wasn’t it yesterday?”

Phantom’s face was gone. Just gone, no eyes or mouth. His nose was faintly visible, sort of.

Maybe Danny should have been freaked out over that. A few hours ago he would have been. But now he had more pressing concerns. “She lives in a _castle_,” he said. 

oOo

Just when Phantom thought he’d finally fixed things, he went and screwed them back up. He’d gotten back on Sam’s good side! He was even able to make her laugh in class, despite herself. Sure at Tucker’s expense, but it was a hypnotized Tucker anyway. And he’d always been a good sport about pranks. 

He’d forgotten that Fenton didn’t know. That he had never even seen Sam’s place before. She was going to be so pissed! He kept straining his ears, waiting for her reaction over the Fenton phones, but her end was silent. Had she turned them off? Did she even know they were here? Maybe they could just leave...

Fenton was pacing. He tripped over an ottoman between the couch and the coffee table.

He groaned and kicked it. “What even is that thing?! Just a random square? To trip me up? Am I going crazy?!” 

“It’s uh, for putting your feet up. If you’re on the couch,” Phantom said. He’d been baffled by it too, once upon a time. 

“He speaks!” Fenton clapped, slow and sarcastic. “Great job, you grew your mouth back.” 

“M-my mouth?” Phantom pressed a hand against his lips. “It was never… gone?” 

“Dude, it was,” Fenton said. “But whatever. Doesn’t matter.” 

He abruptly sat on the floor and put his head in his hands. “Doesn’t matter,” he repeated. 

Phantom hovered over him nervously. He was surprised he hadn’t frozen the room over and as he tentatively place a hand on Fenton’s head, he expected something… well, explosive. 

Fenton didn’t react. 

“I’m sorry,” Phantom said. “I didn’t mean to lie to you.” 

Fenton still didn’t react. 

But there was static from the Fenton phones and then Sam’s weary sigh. “You’re both in my room aren’t you?” 

“Y-yeah,” Phantom said. 

“It didn’t occur to you that I might need a magical flight out of school too?” Sam said.

Phantom straightened and accidentally floated up into the ceiling, banging his head. “D-did you get harassed too? I’m so sorry, I’ll fly back-”

“Too late,” she said. “And I didn’t go picking a fight like someone over there.” 

Fenton growled. “Speaking of fights! I want to have a fight, Sam. Get over here and let’s have one.” 

“I’m a liar, I’m a sneak, yada yada, I’ll give you my double saber in Doomed, okay?” Phantom imagined her rolling her eyes, wherever she was. “Your avatar can level up with it and we’ll be square.” 

“I don’t care about Doomed!” Fenton stood and nearly tripped over the ottoman again. On impulse Phantom flew down and wrapped his arms and legs around him. Dangling on his back like a backpack, he nuzzled his face into the back of Fenton’s neck.

“Wh-what the. Phantom, get off!” 

"I'm hugging it better," Phantom said. And he froze like that, with his face in Fenton's neck, and closed his eyes.

Phantom could feel Fenton's muscles twitch. His shoulders tense and flex, as if he could stretch the ghost off. 

He was used to the human's warmth, sometimes a sizzling burn under his skin. Like laying on the beach in the summer without shade or sunscreen.

But today Fenton wasn't hot like that. He was mildly warm, almost room temperature. Phantom snaked an arm up Fenton's torso, trying to reach his forehead. "Are you cold?"

"Would you get off?" Fenton huffed.

"Am I cold?" Phantom said. "Maybe I'm warm."

"You're never warm. Get. Off."

Phantom let go and allowed himself to float away. "It worked when you did it."

Fenton spun around. "What?" 

"At Tucker's. I was upset and you hugged me. It helped." 

"I'm not the same as you," Fenton said. "And I'm mad _ at _ you. You can't just…" He threw his hands up and groaned. "Just!"

He grabbed at his hair and Phantom wanted to reach for his hands and pull them away.

Instead he tried to think heavy, willing gravity to re-claim him.

It was always difficult. Trying to plant his feet firmly on the ground. Like walking on the moon, he imagined. 

When he managed it he stood directly in front of Fenton and he realized with a start that he'd shrunk.

"You grew," Phantom said. 

Fenton was half a head taller than him. "Of course I grew. You barely noticed?" 

"I'm always above you." 

Fenton laughed at that and let go of his hair. "I might grow to be as tall as dad." 

"Don't you dare!" Phantom made a show of his horror, widening his eyes and covering his mouth with a hand. A playful gasp. 

"You asshole," Fenton giggled. "How do you do that? Bastard." 

"Do what?" Gravity lost hold of him, so he folded his legs into a pretzel. He'd figured out a Zen way to try and stay in place, hovering just below Fenton's eye level.

"How do you turn on the charm and just… weasel your way out of shit?" 

"I'm not trying to weasel my way out of anything." Phantom dropped his smile. "I really am sorry. Will you forgive me? Please?" 

"Fine. But I want to know how long you've been… been…" Fenton gestured at Sam's room and glared at her bed.

Phantom pictured himself on that bed with Sam the night of the dance and gulped. 

He tried for nonchalance. "A house guest?" 

"Did you talk to her first?" Fenton said.

"You mean after the accident." 

"Yes."

"Yes."

"What the hell?" Fenton spun away from him, pacing angrily around the room. All he needed was ear piercing music and he'd be just like Sam.

He kept repeating, "What the hell." Over and over again.

"She saw me first!" Phantom said. "It wasn't my fault!"

"How did she see you first?!" Fenton jabed himself in the chest. "Wasn't I there first?! You… you came from… well, me?"

"You were unconscious," Sam said. 

She'd walked in so quietly neither of them had seen her. 

"Shit!" Fenton said. "You gave me a heart attack." 

He sneezed and Sam rubbed her arms for warmth. "Could you cool it?" She said.

Phantom blinked. "Me?"

"He needs to do the opposite of cooling it, Sam." 

Fenton frowned at him. "So _ now _ you're upset?"

"I'm not upset! I was just startled." 

"Well thaw out," Sam said. "So I was thinking about the crowd and the way they reacted to Danny's anti-fanboy attitude. We can use that to our advantage."

"Hey!" Fenton said. "Don't change the subject!"

"We can argue about that later," Sam said.

"I want to argue about it now!"

"Get over yourself," she said. "Don't you want Tucker back to normal? And your sister?"

Fenton groaned and stomped over to Sam's bed, grabbing a pillow and screaming into it.

When he came up for air he said, "I hate it when you're right!" 

She rolled her eyes. "Let's get to work." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a really hard time getting back into Phantom's head. I actually wanted the last chapter to be his POV, but I couldn't get it to work. And I ended up starting this chap in Fenton's POV haha.
> 
> I might try to have a mix of both of them in future chapters?


	8. Chapter 8

He'd never been backstage at a concert before, but Danny knew enough to guess that there were supposed to be _ people _ back here. 

A ghostly concert doesn't need a sound crew, he supposed. 

There was an area to the side where he had a perfect view of the stage where no one could see him. Ember and her band were sort of sideways to him and he was aware that turning their heads even _ slightly _ would give him away.

But he wasn't defenseless. Danny felt the dragon amulet under his shirt. Though he still wasn't sure how to activate it, he felt safer knowing it was an option. Plus ecto blasters.

So he stood at the ready while the music ghosted around him. Waiting for his part.

oOo

Phantom regretted letting Sam take charge of their game plan. Especially since she decided (at the last second!) that the giant Ember McLain cut out needed to be _ climbed._ Who did she think she was? King Kong?

"Just catch me if I fall," she'd said. 

"What if I'm too far away?!"

"Then I won't fall," she deadpanned. "Don't worry about it."

So he was glancing over at the cut out, nervously primed.

"Keep your eyes on the prize Phantom," Sam said through the Fenton phones.

"You can see me?"

"Dude, you're invisible," she said. "But I can feel your gaze."

"Gross, that's like something out of a bad teen romance novel," Fenton said. 

"Ew, it is!" Sam said. "Look what you did, Phantom." 

Phantom hovered over the crowd and tried to think _ light _ and _ not too cold _ thoughts. This was not the time for fritzing powers. 

"I found Jazz in the crowd," he said. "She really did come with Tucker." 

Silence over the coms. Then, "Okay the ropes are secure. Go visible." 

oOo

Phantom looked like some kind of disco ball. He'd finally figured out how to activate ghost shields on command. The crowd cheered at the "special effects" and Ember danced around like it was part of the choreography. 

Danny stood with the thermos aimed at the ghostly band members. He wanted to _ start _ already, but Sam said it was better to wait until she distracted the crowd. _ They're her battery,_ she'd said. _ Wait until she's at her weakest. _

Whenever they were playing Doomed, Sam was more than just a tank. She was also their best strategist. 

So he waited and tried not to picture her falling to her death. He wished he had a view of her the way he did of Phantom. 

oOo

The crowd was _ pissed. _ Drawing a mustache on Ember McClain was worse than blasphemy. It was treason. (Wait, was there a difference? He should have paid more attention in history.)

Ember tried to get their attention back by raising the volume, but Fenton took out her band. She was a solo artist now and half as effective. 

He expected to see her pulled into the thermos along with them at any second.

But he wasn't paying attention to the stage anymore. The crowd was converging around the Ember cut out and rocking it off its Foundation. It tilted and Sam was dangled over the crowd on her rope like a pinata. 

He flew towards her.

oOo

"You little sneak!" Ember spat. "What did you do with my band?" 

"The same I'm gonna do to you," Fenton said. He aimed the thermos, but she screeched so loudly his hands automatically went to his ears.

He dropped the thermos.

Ember was fast. She grabbed his head and her hands were so much colder than Phantom's had ever been. He froze up and she yanked at his Fenton phones. 

"Worst earbuds ever," she said. "Let's sing you a new song. You feelin' the love tonight?" 

oOo

He had Sam cradled in his arms and was trying to figure out how to adjust her into a less embarrassing position without dropping her.

Ember was still on stage. The music was gone, but she grabbed the mic. 

"Who wants an encore?" She shouted. 

At first it seemed like she was alone, but Fenton stepped out from behind her and smiled up at them.

"What's he doing?" Sam said. 

Fenton _ waved_ at them. Then he jumped off stage. Like he suddenly decided he wanted to try crowd surfing. 

That would have been fine and dandy but the crowd had shifted, they were all bunched up towards the cardboard cut out. The floor directly in front of the stage was empty.

And then it was on fire. 

oOo

He knew Phantom would catch him. He knew it! 

But he could do without Sam. 

"Get away from him," Danny told her. "He doesn't need you." 

It was the worst kind of group hug. 

"Um, there isn't anywhere for me to go," she said. "What's wrong with you?" 

He wouldn't let her drape herself all over Phantom. It wasn't _ right_. Phantom was _ his. _

So he pushed her off.

oOo

It was hard enough flying with two passengers. Dodging Ember's guitar beams added to the difficulties.

Phantom couldn't get the ghost shields to work! He knew by now that his powers were linked to his emotions, but he couldn't remember what he was supposed to feel to shield himself.

Or maybe he was just too distracted. Fenton had wrapped his legs around him as well as his arms and he kissed Phantom on the neck. On the cheek. On the ear. 

He didn't know how he was supposed to feel about that. And now wasn't the time for-for… for whatever Fenton was trying to do!

Then Fenton pushed Sam and Phantom scrambled to catch her. When he did Fenton pouted.

"Aw, can't we be alone together?" Fenton whispered. He pressed his lips against Phantom's ear. 

"Are you crazy?" Phantom sputtered. "We can't just let her fall!" 

"You need to land!" Sam said. "Let's get on the roof." 

"But Ember-" 

"We've weakened her, we can come back in a bit," Sam said. 

So he flew them through the ceiling and was relieved to set them both on their feet. 

"Okay, what the fuck Danny," she said. "What's going through your head?" 

"I've decided I don't want to share." Fenton put his arm around Phantom's shoulder. "So just go away, yeah?" 

Phantom stared at him. "Huh?" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been waiting to write a love hypnotized Fenton for ages! xD This is so much fun ^.^


	9. Chapter 9

"I think it's a love spell. Or something," Sam said. 

"You know what?" Phantom said. "I don't hate it." 

Fenton was hugging him with an enthusiasm he'd never displayed before. They were actually facing each other, chest to chest, and he was rubbing his hands up and down Phantom's back.

And nuzzling his cheek into Phantom's hair. 

"Seriously?" Sam snapped her fingers in their faces. "Did you both get spelled?"

Phantom pulled away from the hug. "Sorry."

Fenton was not pleased. "Just ignore her!" 

"How do we get him back to normal?" Phantom said. 

"I guess by killing Ember?"

"She's already dead."

"There's gotta be a way to destroy a ghost." 

"I thought we were just going to capture her?" 

Fenton rolled his eyes while they talked and put his arms around Phantom again. This time from behind.

He kissed the top of Phantom's head, then rested his chin there.

Phantom laughed. "Are you trying to make me feel short?"

"I like cuddles," Fenton said. "Didn't you want them too?" 

"Well yeah but-" For the first time, Phantom realized something. "Hey guys, I'm not floating!" 

Sam frowned. "So? You've done that before."

"But I've never kept it going for this long." Phantom untangled himself from Fenton and hopped three times.

Each time he came back down to the ground. Then, just to be sure, he jumped as high as he could and decided to float.

He stayed in the air. "That's a relief. I thought I wouldn't be able to fly." 

Fenton clapped encouragingly.

"What is going on with you lately?" Sam said. "You're all over the place."

Phantom landed on the ground again. "I dunno," he said. "I just... I'm still getting used to this, I guess."

"To being a ghost?"

"Yeah." 

"Well, now's not the time for experiments," Sam said. "We need to get back down there. And I'm sorry Danny but you're too dangerous to come with us."

Fenton glared at her and grabbed Phantom's arm, "You can't separate us!"

"Dangerous? He seems harmless." 

"Are you forgetting the fact that I almost plummeted to my death because of him?"

"Oh, right." Phantom waggled a finger at Fenton. "That was wrong. Don't do it again." 

"Are you mad at me?" Fenton said.

"Uh, not that mad?" Sam was glaring at him. "Mildly angry." 

She huffed. 

"Okay, I'm furious." 

Fenton's eyes watered and Phantom backpedaled. "But I forgive you! Don't cry."

Fenton cried anyway. The silently tragic kind of tears. He covered his face with his hands to stifle his expression.

"I take it back," Phantom said. "I miss the old Fenton." 

"You're leaving me," Fenton said. "I'm an obstacle." 

"Sam please tell me what to do here." 

"Oh, I don't know," she said. "You could carry him home, tuck him into bed, and kiss him passionately. Then just disappear. That always works." 

"Ouch," Phantom said. "Okay, I deserved that." 

Fenton gasped. "You guys kissed?!"

Phantom winced. "Just once?" 

"Why are you phrasing that like a question?" Sam said. "Did we kiss once or didn't we?" 

"We did! I'm sorry." 

Fenton knelt and curled in on himself, pulling at his hair.

Phantom moved toward him, but Sam smacked his arm and made a silent shooing motion. 

She crouched beside Fenton and put a hand on his shoulder. "Still got those love goggles?" 

"I feel like my heart's been ripped out of my chest and stomped on," Fenton said.

"Yeah, well, men are pigs." She gave him a pat on the head. "You'll get over it." 

Phantom decided it would be better for him to keep quiet. 

Then Fenton straightened up so fast he almost knocked Sam over. "You know what?" 

"What?" She said.

Fenton's eyes glowed an icey blue. "I know exactly who I can take this out on." 

Then he turned into a dragon. 

oOo

He remembered crying. Then it was freezing. He was so angry his heart stopped beating. 

Then he couldn't think.

He couldn't think, but he could run. He could attack.

He was flying.

It was her fault, her fault, her fault. 

oOo

"We should have asked him where he left the thermos," Phantom said.

"Ugh, I know. Shut up." 

oOo

They both had fire. They threw it at each other. They screamed. She was a tiny little banshee. 

There was so much screaming. More than her. More than them. But he couldn't focus on the people running below. 

oOo 

The building was on fire.

Phantom could only carry so many people at a time. But they followed Sam to the exits, running a little too haphazardly. 

He tried to make sure no one got trampled.

oOo

She disappeared and he roared. He smashed his head through a wall and chewed on bricks. 

"Fenton! You can stop now!" 

More screaming? He thought he was the only voice left. 

"Fenton, please." He glowed among the rubble. A little green bubble. "Don't you want more cuddles? Hmm?"

He remembered crying. It was still so cold. But Phantom was here. He didn't leave?

"That's it. Just stay still, there we go." 

He wasn't flying. Now he was falling.

oOo

He should have known Fenton had kept the amulet. What the hell was he thinking, the night of the dance? He'd just flown away with Sam in his arms and forgotten all about it. Some hero.

Now Fenton was in his arms and the consequences were so much worse. There were fire trucks and cop cars outside.

And the Fenton RV. 

His parents picked him up on their scanners as he was leaving the scene of the crime. They gave chase and Phantom couldn't let them _ see _.

Fenton was unconscious. He'd expected him to puke and shake this off. The way Sam had.

But he'd been under the Amulet's spell for hours longer. Was there some kind of slow poison in it? Side effects? 

There was no way to know.

oOo

When he opened his eyes Phantom was all he could see. His eyes usually glowed so brightly, but today they looked damp.

Phantom's smile was all teeth. "Hey, hey, hey. Fenton, my man. How're you doing, champ?" 

"You sound like dad," Danny said. 

"Sorry." Phantom's face had been so close it had taken up Danny's entire field of vision. But now he scooted back and Danny noticed curtains hanging over them. 

No not curtains, exactly.

He was in a giant bed. 

"I can't believe this!" Someone said. It sounded far away.

Danny sat up. 

"Am I being pranked? Are there cameras?" 

It was Tucker. Danny couldn't see him, but he realized it was Tucker speaking. 

"He's getting a house tour," Phantom said. "Want to join them?" 

"No," Danny said.

"You feel like barfing?" 

"What? No." 

There was ectoplasm in his nose, the stench powerful and familiar. He could taste it, sour and gelatinous, coating his mouth.

Phantom hovered over him, his expression pinched and pale. It was deja vu, an eerie echo of Sam's panic on the day of the accident. 

He'd been knocked out by the blast, she'd said. When he frowned at her in confusion, unable to recognize her, she'd started crying.

_"I thought you died!" She had sobbed. _

"She was right," Danny said. "I was unconscious." 

"Yeah you passed out while you were falling," Phantom said. "You sure you don't feel sick? Even a little nauseous?" 

Danny shook his head and swirled his tongue around the inside of his mouth, trying to catch the ectoplasm.

But it wasn't really there. His mouth felt thick with it, but it was just an illusion.

"Fenton?" Phantom cupped his cheek and leaned forward, suddenly reminding Danny of his mom.

His parents had hosed him down several times. They made him stand, naked, in the decontamination chamber every night for a week. They would scan him for trace amounts of ectoplasm every night and the read outs would be fainter each time. 

The smell in his nose eventually went away.

"I'm fine." Danny threw off the thick black blanket that had been tucked up around him and tried to climb off the massive bed.

"Whoa, maybe that's not such a good idea." Phantom blocked him, arms out like a goalie, but Danny just draped himself over him and they both went down.

Well, more like sideways. Phantom kept them floated in mid-air and put Danny back on his feet.

They ended up standing with their arms loosely around each other and a new, foggier memory rose to the surface.

Danny was clinging to Phantom, running his hands up and down his back, nuzzling into his hair. _"_

_You know what? I don't hate it." _

The memories were a slap in the face. In response, Danny jumped away from Phantom.

"I was hypnotized too!" He blurted. 

Phantom pouted at his empty arms. "I know that," he said. "But it's not like I have cooties." 

"Wh-why was it," Danny stammered. "Why did I... was it just me?" 

"Yeah, everyone else was fawning over Ember," Phantom said. "I don't know exactly what happened." 

Sam walked in with Tucker, greeting him with the kind of dazzling smile he hadn't seen since... Well, since just after the accident.

"You're up!" She was relieved that he had survived. Just like she had been, back then, before she noticed his amnesia.

He stared at her. "You said I was unconscious," he repeated. 

She blinked. "You've been out for a few hours," Sam said. "But you didn't have any injuries so we thought we'd let you sleep it off." 

"Dude that was a crazy fire," Tucker said. "Ember was a ghost the whole time!" 

"You're kind of behind, Tuck," Phantom said.

"I'm talking about the accident," Danny said. "When you met him." 

He pointed at Phantom accusingly and remembered that these two had kissed.

Danny blinked and shook his head, tears rising unbidden. 

"Hey, hey." Phantom wrapped his arms around Danny again and made hushing noises. Like he was trying to comfort a younger brother who'd woken up from nightmares. "I'm sorry, I should have-"

"Shut up," Danny said. But he allowed Phantom to hug him, and even leaned into it when the ghost started carding fingers through his hair.

"Okay, I think I fell further behind than I'd thought," Tucker said.

Sam sighed. "Let's sit down." 

oOo

"I knew you had too much in common," Tucker said. "In fact, if you listen past the weird echo-y reverberations of his voice-"

"Yeah, yeah," Danny said. "We're twins." 

"Why does he look so tan though?" Tucker said. "His skin is almost orange."

"I resent that," Phantom said.

"They're inverted," Sam said. "The suit Danny was wearing when he went into the portal was white. The gloves and boots were black." 

"Whoa, that's true," Tucker said. "Inverted twins!"

"There's one key difference," Danny said. "He's got all the memories." 

Phantom winced, but Sam looked vindicated. "I knew your memories were still missing!" 

He looked her right in the eyes. "Phantom is the real Danny Fenton." 

She blanched. "That's not what I-"

"It's what you've been thinking the whole time isn't it?" Danny stood up. "You know what? It all makes sense now. You've been seeing each other the whole time and just... Tolerating me." 

Phantom stood too, planting his feet firmly on the ground in front of him. _ " _

_ I've never been able to keep it up this long! _He had said.

The memory stung when he looked at it with a clear head.

Phantom had been so pleased with himself for such a simple thing. The ghost wanted nothing more than to be brought back to Earth. 

"Fenton-" 

Danny put his hand over Phantom's mouth. "Just stay with Sam," he said. "We'll talk later." 

Sam reached for his elbow. "Danny-"

He shook her off. "We'll talk later," he repeated. 

It was his turn to fly away, Danny decided. His turn to disappear.


	10. Chapter 10

The Fentons had upgraded their ghost shields. Now there was a green dome over the house and Phantom couldn't even knock on Fenton's window.

He wasn't wearing the Fenton Phones either.

It felt almost like going back in time to right after the accident. Before Phantom had mustered up the courage to show himself to his human half.

He decided to haunt the school again and observe Fenton in his classes. Watch him skip lunch (to avoid Sam, he supposed) and wander around the school's library.

For some reason Fenton never actually read any of the books. He'd spend a half hour reading titles and summaries instead, picking books up and putting them back down.

Paulina found him in there once and struck up a conversation. There was an eerie sense of de ja vu in that. Phantom tried to fly closer to hear what they were saying, but Fenton was wearing something...

Some kind of ghost repellant? It wasn't like the ghost shield around his house, strong and solid, it was more like... Phantom felt a little shock as he approached and he knew it would get worse if he kept going. 

He figured it was an upgrade on Fenton's utility belt. 

So he couldn't hear what Paulina was telling him, but he could watch her point at the Harry Potter books and laugh as she grabbed Fenton's arm and led him towards them.

They're totally talking about me, Phantom thought. He decided to fly away at that point. Whatever they were saying, he didn't want to know. 

oOo

Game night was Tucker's idea. They met at Sam's house, all four of them, and plugged into Doomed. Phantom was watching Fenton closely when the ghosted avatar came on screen, but he didn't react.

Tucker told him ahead of time, then. 

Fenton was sitting in between Sam and Tucker and Phantom was surprised by how close he allowed Sam. They were practically thigh to thigh. And Phantom was on Tucker's other side, feeling isolated despite Tucker's best efforts.

He managed not to float out of his seat. 

Sam had helped him grind his character up, so now he was nearly at the same level as everyone else. It made for a smooth mission, though everyone was tense.

Or maybe they were just cold. 

Tucker made the best of it, once he realized. He asked the Butler for hot chocolate and cookies and he and Fenton ransacked Sam's room for as many blankets as they could carry. 

Because the game room consisted of two couches- two seaters- instead of one long couch, Sam and Fenton ended up bundled under two blankets together.

Why they decided to stack and share those blankets instead of each taking one was beyond him. They were being oddly cuddly. And kind of whispering to each other.

When had _they_ made up?

Tucker was stuck on the couch with Phantom and so was given the majority of the blankets. 

"I'm sorry, Tuck," Phantom said. 

Tucker laughed. "I got the blanket with a heating pad, dude. This feels amazing." 

He sipped at his hot chocolate. "It's like Christmas came early," Tucker added. 

Phantom frowned. 

"Shit, watch out!" Tucker tried maneuvering his character with only one hand on his controller and nearly spilled his hot chocolate. Phantom managed to grab the drink and put it back on the table.

**ghosted** died for his trouble.

"Was that your last life?" Sam said. 

"Yep. Looks like I'm out of the game." 

"You died for a worthy cause," Tucker said, trying to reach for his hot chocolate again. 

Phantom moved it out of his reach. 

He watched them play for a few minutes, trying not to sulk. Trying to will the room warmer, so they'd all bake in their blankets. 

Trying to keep his eyes on the screen and not on the other couch. 

Finally he gave up and stared at Sam, willing her to make eye contact. When she did, with a raised eyebrow, he put his hands together in a pleading way.

She raised her other eyebrow.

He pointed at her, pointed at Tucker, pointed at the door. 

She glared at him.

He put his hands back together. _Please, please, please._

She sighed. "Hey, Tucker." 

"Yeah?"

"Did I ever show you the bowling alley?" 

Tucker was focused on the game. "Bowling is kinda lame. Plus everyone's too loud and annoying." 

"Not when you own a private bowling alley." 

He dropped his controller and swiveled to gawk at her. "There's a bowling alley in the house?!" 

"Yep," Sam said. "My grandma is the only one who uses it, but-"

Tucker stood. "And you're barely telling me this now?!" 

Fenton rolled his eyes. "Tucker, you died." 

Tucker solemnly removed his beanie, holding it to his chest. "Friar Tuck lived a noble life." Then he put it back on. "Let's go bowling!" 

"Me and Sam are still alive," Fenton said. "We can finish the level without you." 

"But I need her to show me-"

"Here," Sam said. "Phantom can take over for me." 

She untangled herself from the couch with Fenton- his legs had been draped over hers, Phantom noticed- and tossed the controller. 

Phantom caught it. 

On her way out with Tucker she glared at Phantom. "Have fun," she said.

It sounded like a threat. 

"You're real subtle, you know that?" Fenton said. He kept his eyes on the game. "I could see you in my peripheral." 

"Sorry."

"I'm sure Tucker did too," Fenton added. "He's just too nice to call you out." 

"He's always gone easy on me," Phantom said, poking the abandoned blankets. "Want the heating pad?" 

"You want to move Chaos before she gets stabbed?" Fenton retorted.

Phantom paused the game. "How come you can forgive Sam, but not me? She kept secrets too." 

He gestured at the room around them, the fancy flat screen and other equipment. "She kept this one for so much longer!" 

Fenton sighed. "I'm not mad about that anymore." 

Phantom blinked. "Oh." 

Fenton made as if to unpause the game and Phantom grabbed the remote and turned the TV off. 

Fenton groaned. "What do you _want_?" 

"Can I sit over there?" 

"And freeze me to death?" 

"You have blankets!" 

"Why is it so cold, Phantom?" Fenton re-arranged the blankets to cover his legs back up.. "I know it's tied to your emotions, but which ones, huh? What feeling makes it cold?" 

Phantom swallowed. "I don't uh..." 

"Don't try and tell me you don't know." 

"Well, I can't just pinpoint it like that," Phantom said. "I could say I'm sad, but it's not just sad. I've felt sad without freezing a room."

"So you're sad and...?" Fenton prompted.

"Lonely? Frustrated? Guilty? Terrified? It gets cold when there are too many things hitting me all at once. I can't untangle them." 

"Jealous?" Fenton added. 

"What?" 

"It bothered you," Fenton said. "We could tell. Me and Sam." 

Phantom took that in. Then he flew over to Fenton so fast he accidentally tackled him off the couch. 

"Wh-what the hell!" Fenton was trapped in his blankets now. Like that time in the closet. But this time he wriggled around like mad, trying to get loose. 

Phantom pinned him to the floor and squeezed his eyes shut, holding on with the determination of a bull rider when Fenton bucked. 

"Get off!" Fenton said. "Now it's too hot!" 

Easily fixed, Phantom thought. He phased the blankets and threw them away. 

Now he was directly touching Fenton, face pressed against his chest. Fenton shivered under him. "Dude, you're freaking me out." 

He could hear Fenton's heart beat. It was a relief, somehow. To hear his heart again.

Reluctantly, Phantom put some distance between them. But he kept his arms on either side of Fenton, caging him in. Looming over him. 

"So it was a test?" Phantom said. "Right? Just a test?" 

"What?" 

"You and Sam. You wanted me to be jealous?" 

Fenton was glaring at him. "Let me go." 

"I did." Technically. But he didn't want Fenton getting too far. He needed him near.

"Okay wait," Fenton said. "Which of us... ugh, why are you grinning at me like that?" 

"I _missed_ you," Phantom said. He gave up holding himself up. He stretched out on Fenton and put his head on his chest.

He wanted to hear that heartbeat again.

"This is so confusing!" Fenton said. "Why are you like this?!" 

"What do you mean?" 

"You've been getting touchier and touchier," Fenton said. "It's weird, almost like..." 

"Almost like what?" 

He tried to shove Phantom's head off his chest. Unsuccessfully.

Phantom wrapped his arms around Fenton, really digging in his hold. 

"You don't like me touching you?" Phantom said. "Is it because I kissed Sam?" 

"Phantom-" 

"I'm sorry I kissed her," Phantom said. "Do you like her?"

"That's not..." Fenton groaned. "Would you get off and let me sit? I don't like lying on the floor." 

Phantom floated them up and onto the couch. He let Fenton sit and sat behind him, wrapped around him like a human backpack. 

"Wow," Fenton said. "There is something seriously wrong with you." 

"What? No, there isn't." 

"Like now _you_ got zapped by Ember's guitar." 

Phantom considered this. "No, I think I just... didn't know, before." 

"Didn't know what?" 

"How good this feels." Phantom gave Fenton a little squeeze. "Maybe it's like Vlad was saying. It's like I'm attached. Or I'm supposed to be." 

"Don't even say that name," Fenton said. "I don't want to think about-" 

"Maybe you don't feel it because you're human," Phantom said. "But for me it's like... a magnet." 

"A magnet," Fenton echoed. "So then it has nothing to do with me as a person." 

"What?" 

Fenton shook his head. Abruptly, Phantom let go of him and flew overhead, landing in front of him.

Fenton was glaring at his hands. 

"Wait, I didn't mean-"

"Do you fly around town kissing every girl that'll let you?" Fenton said. 

He wouldn't look up from his hands. His fingers were tightly twined together. Squeezing.

"Paulina told you we kissed?" 

Fenton laughed, bitterly. "No, but you just did." 

"I'm sorry," Phantom said. "Do you want me to-" 

"No," Fenton said. "You can do whatever you want." 

"But then-" 

Fenton put his hand over Phantom's mouth. 

"Let me get one thing straight," he said. "You can't get that cuddle bug out of your system with just anyone. You want to touch me because... because this was your body?" 

Phantom shrugged. 

"And you've had a massive crush on Paulina since the 6th grade," Fenton said. "But now, even though you kissed, you're avoiding her." 

Phantom nodded. He thought of Paulina and Fenton in the library together and looked at Fenton's waist.

The belt loops of his jeans were empty.

"And with Sam...?" Fenton prompted.

Phantom lifted his hands, palm up. 

Clueless. 

Fenton rolled his eyes. "You aren't allowed to hurt Sam," he said. "She's my friend." 

Phantom nodded.

"I'm not saying you aren't allowed to... to kiss her or whatever," Fenton added. "If that's what she wants, then fine. But you can't just jerk her around." 

Phantom nodded so quickly that he accidentally dislodged Fenton's hand from his lips. 

There was a warm spot left behind.

"Down boy," Fenton chuckled. "You think you can keep your hands to yourself when we're hanging out with Sam and Tucker?" 

"Well yeah," Phantom said. "But when will we be alone?" 

"I dunno." 

"The new shield-" 

"I know," Fenton said. "I don't know, maybe we can hang out... uh..." 

He trailed off, smiling in a way that Phantom couldn't decipher. 

Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his Fenton phones. "I'll call you sometime," he said. "So don't worry." 

And he ruffled Phantom's hair, then walked towards the door. "Let's go bowling." 

It was a strange attitude change. 

Kind of dismissive. "But Fenton-"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Fenton said. "You need to disappear while I look for that butler." 

So he disappeared. Then he put his arms around Fenton's shoulders, floating along as he'd done many times before.

When they made it to the bowling alley and the butler was gone Phantom put distance between them and re-appeared. 

And then... well, bowling was kind of lame. Especially when Sam's grandma showed up.

He had to disappear again. 

Sam was still wearing the Fenton phones. She was the only person, besides himself, who never took them off. 

"I'm going to head out," he told her. He was floating against the ceiling.

"Aw, but we could just go back to the game room?" She said, tapping the earphones when Tucker gave her a questioning look. 

"That's okay," Phantom said. "Have fun bowling. I'm gonna... fly around." 

"Alright," she said. "Have fun." 

But he didn't leave. He stuck around until Fenton went home. He followed all the way to his house, without touching. 

Watched him walk through the green shield. 

Then he flew around. Found the box ghost. Tussled. 

But his heart wasn't in it. 

He felt like he had missed something important. 

There had been something in Fenton's face when he was glaring at his hands. 

_ So then it had nothing to do with me as a person. _

Phantom knew he'd said the wrong thing. He didn't know how he would fix it.

**END PART THREE**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so ends the third arc! Tune in next week for the new installment: Rebound.


End file.
